First time out with my DSLR... constructive criticism needed

[event]

Critique anything... PP, composition, lighting (these are all taken on an overcast day), anything. thank you :)

1.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2730/4427640909_b618c43856_b.jpg

2.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2740/4427641085_9216cdd5a2_b.jpg

3.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2748/4428407294_35405038ca_b.jpg

4.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2779/4427641037_303ed02a08_b.jpg

[Artillerist]

Color on all look good to me however each composition needs a theme, a reason to be, #1 isn't bad. #2 if you are going for a color/texture shot tighten up on the padlock more (possible vertical?). If in #3 you are going for the color/patterns in the window panes, crop the man and the road. I don't know what you were goning for in #4.

[event]

I don't really like a vertical crop on #2...

Color on all look good to me however each composition needs a theme, a reason to be, #1 isn't bad. #2 if you are going for a color/texture shot tighten up on the padlock more (possible vertical?). If in #3 you are going for the color/patterns in the window panes, crop the man and the road. I don't know what you were goning for in #4.
The story of #3 was that I was looking for a good shot of that building, but when I saw that man stop to look over the edge, I wanted to get him in there. He's meant to be there. I even upped the luminance on his red collar to get people to focus on him.

#4 I saw this bear in the parking lot and wanted to get a pic of him after seeing so many awesome toy shots here and other places. obviously the focus was the bear

[JayCee Images]

I like em...Good color, excellent exposure and you obviously put some thought into your composition.

Lots that could be done to improve them in post processing though...mostly very minor things i would do, maybe a slight vignette and contrast boost here or there, etc...all of which would be up to you as far as your style goes of course.

The 3rd looks like it could use a ever so slight clockwise rotation.

[joedlh]

I usually don't comment on urban subjects because I tend to be more focused on subject than setting and urban images tend to be all setting (at least in my view). So the first three strike me as all setting with weak subjects -- mostly because the visual points of interest are small relative to the rest of the image. There's little story to tell, with the possible exception of the elderly gentleman on the overpass. The other exception is the last one, which I think would have been vastly improved story-wise if you drew a chalk line around the teddy bear.

[theextremist04]

I like the first one. The second one isn't bad, but shoot with a smaller aperture to get the entire fence in focus. The third seems like it could be rotated a bit, and i agree with Artillerist on the fourth- I need a story!

Overall though, the lighting was good for the mood; your subjects are complimented by the overcast light. They look great for your first time out; keep shooting!

[Flo]

First, with a crop getting the far fence out of the shot.

[SarahRC]

Excellent sharpness on #1! I'd crop the fence out though, as it's unnecessary and distracting. I love the colors and detail in #2, even though it's not quite as sharp. I probably would have brought the lock a little further to the right, for composition's sake. Try cropping it. As far as #3, I love the building, but your composition again is off. The guy standing there also takes away from it. I'm not sure that cropping will fix this, because I think that the ground is important here. Also the power line is distracting. For #4? Explain the picture please, lol!

Overall, excellent work!

[event]

ok taking some of your CC into account, I've done some minor edits and also am uploading another pic. What do you guys think?

New:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2731/4430249942_67e5cddc99_o.jpg

Added some vignetting and grain since it's not at its sharpest... also recropped
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4025/4429483787_9c7dd41d86_o.jpg

Recropped, added vignette. The idea behind this pic is to capture the feeling of the scene... The building is not the subject.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4037/4430249874_99ab6f9b67_o.jpg

Tightened things up here
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2768/4429483695_bb8db97bbd_o.jpg

[Flo]

Last one is great.;)